


Smoke Point

by orsumfenix



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Camping, Conversations, Decisions, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:43:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28656672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orsumfenix/pseuds/orsumfenix
Summary: "It's easy. Go up to the frog, get hurt by it. I'll say where to stand.""Mamushi said it was a toad," Bon says. Renzou waves a hand."You can't see the frog, so you don't get an opinion on the frog. Jeez." It's staring him out. He shudders. "It's so ugly, you don't evenknow."
Relationships: Miwa Konekomaru & Shima Renzou, Shima Renzou & Suguro Tatsuma
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	Smoke Point

**Author's Note:**

> takes place some time before the kyoto trio attend true cross

Bon is first onto the ledge, then Koneko, then Renzou. He was not prepared for the eight-foot demon frog sitting up there. 

"Jesus!" Renzou falls flat on his ass, he'll admit it, he'll own it, it's a perfectly normal reaction to a surprise _eight-foot demon frog_. "Why did no one warn me about the giant frog?" 

"Ah, my apologies," Suguro Tatsuma says, rubbing the back of his neck. He's stood by a steep incline they better not be aiming to climb next. "I'm so used to living with Ryuji. He never needs to know what climbs into his food." 

Bon's head whips around. "What?" 

Tatsuma laughs one of his full-body "gotcha!" laughs. Oh, to have a father like Bon's. 

Next to Tatsuma, Mamushi frowns at Renzou. 

"It's not a frog," she says. "It's a toad." 

"Yeah, yeah, huge difference." 

"Actually, there is." 

Before Mamushi can let Renzou know the intricate differences between a frog and a toad - which, trust, he's thrilled to know - her little sister tugs her sleeve to whisper something in her ear and make them both giggle. He’s pretty sure Nishiki’s only here so Mamushi won’t be the only girl. Why Mamushi’s here at all is the real mystery. Normally he’d be trying his absolute hardest to chat Nishiki up, but he’s too tired for it. That’s how drastic this situation is.

While Bon and Koneko get to taking pictures of the 'beautiful view', Renzou stews in his misery. He hated the idea of a mountain climbing camping trip when it was first suggested, and he hates it even more now. Every second has been some kind of unfortunate. His backpack is giant and heavy, it's cold as shit, and there's a bunch of weird stuff up here that Bon can't even see. He’s seen six insects and almost died every time. Also, camping? In a mountain cave? Yeah, no thanks, sounds dreadful. 

"Wow," a voice says. Renzou's mood sinks even lower. "That is a big frog." 

Here comes the Absolute Worst part of the trip, pulling himself over the ridge with ease. Juuzou invited himself along because he 'just loves mountain climbing', which seems suspicious. Bet he's here just to flirt with Mamushi. 

Predictably, the frog-or-toad argument between Juuzou and Mamushi starts fast and will last all night. At least Juuzou will be distracted. Small mercies. 

"Seriously," Renzou whines at Bon, climbing to his feet. "When are you gonna get your Temptaint? I'm sick of you thinking I’m overreacting to seeing all this weird shit!" 

"It isn't _that_ weird," Koneko says. "True Cross isn't far away, he'll have it then." 

"Why doesn’t he just get it now?" Renzou suggests. "It's easy. Go up to the frog, get hurt by it. I'll say where to stand." 

"Mamushi said it was a toad," Bon says. Renzou waves a hand. 

"You can't see the frog, so you don't get an opinion on the frog. Jeez." It's staring him out. He shudders. "It's so ugly, you don't even _know_." 

It opens its mouth. Renzou rears back. Looking at all the slime isn't as bad at looking at an insect, but it's definitely a stop along the way. 

He's considered sorting out a Temptaint for Bon a few times. Wouldn't take much. Get Yamantaka to wrap around the end of the K'rik, then scratch him 'by accident'. Voila. Homemade Temptaint. 

But that'd raise too many questions. His family would know exactly what happened and he'd have to deal with their reactions. Even thinking about it gives him a headache. More trouble than it’s worth. 

"Stop whinging," Bon commands, tugging Renzou's arm. "Look at the view." 

It is an excellent view. Not worth climbing a mountain for, because nothing is worth climbing a mountain for, but it is really nice. Even Renzou can admit that. 

Bon’s camera snaps. There. Moment saved. Now they can move on.

There’s a cave just round the corner from where they are, and Juuzou declares that it’s perfect for camping. They’ll stay the night here and wake up bright and early for more climbing. Yay. Can’t wait.

“Suguro-sama and I will share a tent,” Juuzou announces, pulling the first tent from his backpack. “Mamushi and Nishiki will get one, and you three get the other.”

Koneko visibly deflates.

“Sleeping with those two is impossible,” he says. They go through his every sleepover and he always ends up staying with them, anyway. “Bon snores and Shima’s really restless. Can’t I share with you and Suguro-sama?”

“Juuzou snores, too, y’know,” Renzou points out. Koneko sighs.

These tents were not designed for more than two people. Poor Koneko, trapped in the middle of two annoying sleepers. Apparently Renzou rolls back and forth and elbows people in the face. Once he purposefully elbowed Kinzou and then pretended to be asleep. Caused a fight, but it was worth it.

For all Koneko’s complaints, he and Bon are asleep in minutes. Renzou stares at the tent ceiling and reflects on the decisions that got him here. Or he would, if they’d been his decisions. Everyone else decided on this trip and Renzou just got pulled along for the ride. He tried to fake being ill but Yaozou felt his head and declared him fine. Kinzou said climbing a mountain ill would build up stamina. Renzou had tried to make it a ‘I could infect Bon and Koneko’ thing, but, alas, he’s played the fake ill card too many times. He’s all out of slots on that machine. He needs to make a new excuse for getting out of things like this.

The wind rustles the tent. He’s wrapped in three blankets and a sleeping bag and he’s still cold. Why a mountain, dear god, why not a hill or a backyard or a _fucking cabin?_

Someone murmurs outside the tent. Renzou freezes. Are they about to get murdered? Probably. What an embarrassing way to go. And totally predictable. That’s what you get for wanting to camp on a mountain in three separate flimsy tents –

A murmur back. Oh. Juuzou and Mamushi. The whole pretending-to-hate-each-other thing is getting old. They must be having a deep chat looking out at the view. Or at least a calm one. One day they’re going to get married and everyone Renzou knows will be at the wedding. It’ll either go wonderfully or horribly.

Koneko shuffles. Bon’s snoring pauses. Renzou closes his eyes.

Outside the tent is even colder than the inside. He pulls his coat tight around him. His teeth are chattering. Juuzou and Mamushi are right at the end of the ledge, chatting softly. They haven’t noticed him. Next to his feet the campfire lies still.

Renzou walks as quietly as he can over to Juuzou and Tatsuma’s tent. There must be a flashlight on inside, because Tatsuma’s shadow is plastered across the side. He’s singing.

Renzou unzips the side of the tent. Tatsuma smiles at him.

“Renzou!” Tatsuma is so drunk, oh god. And he’s somehow not freezing with only a shirt and pants on. Has he got a fire demon warming him up or something? “Is everything alright?”

“Just thought I’d say hi.”

“Come in, come in. Do you want some sake?”

Renzou eyes the bottle. “Don’t mind if I do.”

It takes him a while to get comfy once he’s inside. He’s got all the blankets around him like a nest, one of which goes on top of his head. Like a Western wedding dress made of Juuzou’s childhood blanket.

“It’s cold out tonight,” Tatsuma says, cracking open a new bottle. “Do you like the cold, Renzou?”

Renzou laughs from his nest of blankets.

“Yeah, I love it.”

Tatsuma laughs back. This is why Renzou sought him out. Sometimes it’s nice to make jokes to someone you’ve known forever and have them laugh back. Yaozou never laughs at his jokes. It’s all be serious this, responsibility, that. Suguro Tatsuma is a guy that likes fun. Renzou can respect that.

Bon has no idea how lucky he is.

“Nah, I hate the cold,” Renzou says, lifting the sake to his lips. It’s warm. Thank god. “I don’t see why I had to come on this stupid trip. What are we supposed to be learning here?”

“Endurance and patience.” Tatsuma rubs at his chin. “But, honestly?” He leans forward. So does Renzou. “I just like the view.”

“Great. So that’s why we’re all here.”

“You have to admit, it’s gorgeous. And we aren’t even at the top yet.”

“Bon’s acting like we’re on some mystical quest. Like the top of the mountain’s gonna have some god that we can speak to.”

“It will have a god,” Tatsuma says, “because it will have me.”

Renzou snorts. Adoption by Tatsuma _when?_ This is the only thing making this trip bearable. Between Bon and Koneko who are acting like they’re going to get graded on mountain climbing and Juuzou’s weird flirt-arguments and Nishiki only speaking to Mamushi, Tatsuma is the one shining beacon of light.

Worst part is, he can tell they all think he’s being annoying by complaining. He _is_ annoying, he’ll take that, but he has every right to complain about being made to climb a mountain.

 _Remember when my older brother died saving me on a mountain?_ he wants to yell. _Anyone remember that? No? Just me? Only I see the totally legit reasons for not climbing a mountain when being on one killed Takezou?_

Whatever. He doesn’t even care what happened to Takezou. Really. He doesn’t. He never has and being on a mountain and having his brain decide now would be a good time to picture Take’s final moments can’t change that.

Tatsuma offers him a biscuit. Renzou takes it. They’re not even good biscuits. Crumbly. He dreads to think how long they’ve been in that backpack.

“You’ll be going to the Exorcist cram school soon,” Tatsuma says. Oh, great, another conversation about that. At least Tatsuma isn’t actually an Exorcist. Makes the topic more tolerable. “Ryuji told me you’re aiming for Aria?”

“Yep. Should be fun!”

“You never struck me as Aria material. The others were much more academic in our lessons.”

“Well,” Renzou says, “Aria’s what they’re going for.”

“So you’re just going along? Nothing wrong with that, I suppose. You’re only young. You have time to figure yourself out.”

“I have figured myself out,” Renzou says. It’s true. He just isn’t happy with who he figured himself out to be. “True Cross sounds fun, and Bon and Koneko know what they’re doing. I don’t see the point in splitting up now. I dunno. What were you doing at my age?”

“Flirting with girls.”

“I do that.”

“I know. You remind me of myself at that age. Got any numbers?”

“A few.” One in particular. “Don’t know if I’ll call them yet. Might be worth going on a couple dates before True Cross, but they couldn’t go anywhere. I don’t want to do anything long distance at this age.”

“You’re just a teenager, you don’t need to worry about commitment yet.”

“Exactly.”

Tatsuma’s getting through that sake pretty fast. He wasn’t drunk when they were climbing the mountain, was he? No way. He would’ve fallen. But he’s going to be hungover tomorrow.

Renzou tips the bottle back. There isn’t much left. He’s not even tipsy.

“Can I have more?” Renzou asks, pointing at Tatsuma’s backpack. “I know you have more.”

“Correct.” Tatsuma doesn’t even question it. Brilliant. Can he be Renzou’s dad now, please and thanks. “You like it?”

“It’s alright. I prefer the stuff I steal from Kinzou.”

“And what stuff would that be?”

“I honestly couldn’t tell you,” Renzou says. Tatsuma shifts and the torch moves with him. Their shadows bend. “He’s so weird, he puts it in water bottles and stuff then says it’s juice. Even Yumi knows it’s not juice. I once saw him take it from one of the drinks in Dad’s cabinet but I have no idea which one. It’s nice, though.” He wraps his hand around the bottle top. Twists. Drinks used to be a chain in the Shima house. Kinzou took them from Yaozou, Renzou took them from Kinzou. “But he doesn’t do that anymore. He’s twenty now, so.”

“That’s right.” Tatsuma nods. His cheeks are all red. “I saw him buying drinks at the shops recently.”

“Probably.” If it was before Kinzou dyed his hair, he might’ve actually seen Renzou. He keeps his mouth shut about that.

Older brothers aren’t good for much, but they are good for having IDs you can steal.

Somehow, he doesn’t feel like Tatsuma would disapprove. Hell, the guy’s here giving him stuff to drink. It’s starting to hit a bit now. It’s nice. Calming.

“I saw Kinzou’s band last time they played,” Tatsuma says. Renzou closes his eyes.

“I’m so sorry.”

“They weren’t terrible.”

“Huh? You’re joking me, right?” Has Tatsuma with that one sentence managed to ruin every last inch of respect Renzou had for him?

“I was kidding. They were the worst band I’ve ever heard.” Tatsuma bursts into laughter. Bon never laughs like that. Shame. Bon would look great laughing like that. “Were the lyrics supposed to make sense, or were they just garbage?”

“I don’t even think they were lyrics,” Renzou says honestly. “Just vague yelling.”

“Are you any good at singing, Renzou?”

“I might be. I might not.”

“Mysterious.” Tatsuma points. “I like it.”

Adopt me. Adopt me now.

Adoption can’t be that hard, right? Just get the papers from online. And Bon’s an only child. The Suguro family would be glad to have another one. Renzou is one of six living siblings, his parents can stand to lose a couple.

Maybe he and Bon could swap places. They line up with the opposite parents’ values pretty well. Little switcheroo. Work out perfect for everyone.

It’s never gonna happen, but Renzou muses on it when he’s back outside the tent. He can’t see Juuzou and Mamushi anymore, but Juuzou hasn’t returned to his tent and he really doubts they’ve gone to the one with Nishiki. Gone somewhere more private? Probably.

They’re not even dating yet. Christ.

Renzou walks to the edge of the ledge. Ha ha. Ledge edge. He’s the funniest person on this mountain. The bar is low, but only Tatsuma is decent competition up here.

He looks out at the view. It’s not as clear at night, but somehow it’s nicer. Relaxing. There’s a couple demons floating in the air, but they aren’t harmful. The trees stretch for miles. There’s towns. Thousands of people living their lives. The mountains. The sky. Everything is so big and it makes his life feel so small. He likes that feeling. Like all his problems don’t matter so much.

Then Renzou looks down.

It’s so steep.

Is this what Takezou saw, when he fell? Did he see the world’s beauty, or only its end?

Renzou takes a deep breath. It’s shaky.

“Shima?”

He startles. He doesn’t fall but Jesus Christ.

“Don’t sneak up on a person standing on a mountain edge!” Renzou exclaims, turning with his hand held to his chest. His heart’s thumping. “Jeez, you’re lucky I didn’t die!”

“Sorry.” To his credit, Koneko actually does look sorry. Always so genuine with his apologies. With his everything, really. How he’s been friends with Renzou all this time is the question of the century. “What are you doing?”

“I’m admiring the view.”

“Yeah, it’s beautiful.” Koneko walks to stand next to him. What a picture they must make. Maybe Take’s fucking ghost can descend from Heaven or the ground he probably lurks in and take one. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“It is way too cold to sleep.”

“There’s blankets.”

“I used the blankets, and I was still cold.” Renzou elbows him. “What happened to you not sleeping because of me and Bon? You were out like a light.”

“I was exhausted. We’ve been climbing all day.”

“Yeah, I know. I was climbing with you.”

“Hard to forget with you whining all the time.” Koneko’s still looking at the view. Pretty hard to not look at it, to be honest. “I think sleepovers with you guys have ruined my sleeping habits. If I’m supposed to have both of you there and one of you isn’t, I don’t sleep as well. Like my body knows something isn’t right if I don’t have a droning in my ear and someone crashing into me every five minutes.”

Renzou pouts. “I don’t _crash_.”

“Yeah you do. It’s like you don’t process there’s someone there so you keep trying to roll on top of them, except you’re asleep. Do you have really vivid dreams or something?”

Nah. He barely even remembers them.

“Yeah, they’re super vivid.”

This addiction to lying is getting out of hand. And yet he has no plans of stopping!

“I noticed you were in the other tent,” Koneko says. “Were you talking to Juuzou?”

“He’s off pretending to hate Mamushi somewhere. I was hanging out with our dear old sensei.”

Koneko lifts a brow. “Bon’s dad?”

“Who else, the massive demon frog?”

“I’m almost 100% sure it was a toad.”

“You said almost ~” Renzou sing-songs, pointing and stepping back. “But yeah. Suguro-sama’s so cool. I wish he was my dad.”

“Do you now.”

“Uh huh! Bon’s so lucky. Man, imagine having a dad like that. One who doesn’t care about all this duty and responsibility and family history. Just a guy who runs a temple and likes drinks. Maybe he can adopt me. Or we could switch places, there must be a way to do that.” Renzou’s eyes are closed and he’s grinning wide, but at Koneko’s silence he opens them. “You okay?”

This is a strange look for Koneko. Tight jaw. Clenched fists.

“It’s nothing,” Koneko says. Renzou’s grin changes, but it’s still there. Who would he even be without the grins? Not the same person, that’s for sure.

“Really? Cos you’re looking a little tense, there, Neko.”

“It’s really nothing,” Koneko insists. Almost there, just push a little further…

“C’mon, you can tell me! We’re best friends to the end! We don’t have secrets -” ha “- we don’t lie to each other -” even more ha “- we tell each other everything! Even the bad stuff.”

“Even the bad stuff, huh?” Koneko snorts. It’s all bitter. Why the fuck is he making that noise, he isn’t supposed to make that noise. “You and Bon don’t get it. You’re both – you always complain. You’re always complaining about your families and wishing they were different, but – at least they’re there. You both argue with your dads and say you don’t like them, but at least your dads aren’t _dead_. And I could handle one of you being like that, but both? I have to sit here day after day and listen to _both?_ I have to know that _neither_ of you are satisfied with your dads being alive? You want more than that?”

There must be a right thing to say here, but Renzou can’t find it. He opens and closes his mouth a bunch of times, koi fish style.

“Neither of you are easy to be best friends with,” Koneko says softly, guiltily. He’s a good person. This has clearly been building for some time. “And I’m best friends with you both. I know you have troubles with your parents, but. My parents aren’t even here and they’re never going to be. I don’t even _remember_ them. You have all these memories with your dad and you don’t even appreciate those memories. You wanna switch dads with Bon? At least you both have dads you _could_ switch.”

There is a wrong thing he could say here. That not too long in the future being best friends with Renzou might get a whole lot harder. Bad enough that being best friends probably won’t be enough.

“I’m sorry,” Koneko says, brow furling. Look at those eyes, he’s hurting. Renzou needs to do something, fuck, how do you make someone feel better when you’re only good at making things worse – “I shouldn’t -”

“Don’t be sorry,” Renzou cuts in. Sighs. This smile is rueful. He should do more rueful smiles. “It’s fair. It can’t be easy being an orphan.”

“That was terrible phrasing,” Koneko tells him. “But I know you’re trying to make me feel better.”

“I’m not very good at it.”

“I know.”

“Should I get Bon?”

“Bon’s even worse.”

“I could get Juuzou?”

“I don’t want to talk to your brother about my feelings.”

“But you like my brother.”

“Yeah, but I like you more.” That was so sappy. Bet Koneko thinks they’re gonna go to True Cross and be actual Best Friends Forever. Renzou shouldn’t do what he’s supposed to do in the future. It’s not too late to back out. He should stay with Bon and Koneko. He should do a lot of things. “I don’t mind you complaining for the most part. About normal stuff, I mean. Like mountain climbing. And I guess I’m jealous that you’re casual enough with your dad that you don’t think anything of complaining about him. I just – you’re both so lucky and you don’t even realise it.”

 _Bon_ doesn’t realise he’s lucky. That’s what Renzou always thinks.

But Bon’s not a bad person and neither is Koneko. They’re different from Renzou. Separate. Renzou is something else entirely.

“I do realise it,” Renzou says. He’s ever so good at lying. Sometimes he even fools himself. Can’t tell up from down or left from right or truth from lie. When you’re at the point you don’t even know what you think you know you’re in trouble. He still won’t stop lying. He can kick any habit but that. “Come on, let’s get back to the tent. If I have to smack you in my sleep to let you rest then I guess I’m neglecting my duty.”

“Okay,” Koneko says, voice full of some sort of emotion.

Before going back to the tent Renzou stares at the view one last time. So many lives. So many choices. Some of them might lead to falling off the edge. Some might lead back to his friends. Some might lead nowhere at all.

Takezou died at the bottom of a mountain drop. Renzou makes his decision at the top of one.


End file.
